As the college basketball season gets underway, I have reached out to the ‘experts’ here at The Bucky Channel for their preseason predictions for the D-1 basketball teams across the state. Some of their responses were insightful, some were insulting, some were funny, and some make no sense at all. So without further ado, here’s what The Bucky Channel is expecting to happen this season.

WISCONSIN BADGERSWhere will they finish in the Big Ten? Average Response: 3rd Place Why they will do well this year: Winks: “Bo Ryan’s teams have been consistent. They’ve never finished lower than fourth place in the conference and they always make the NCAA Tournament. Expectations are tempered a bit this season, but his squads always find a way to end up at the top of the conference. Nankivil, Taylor, and Leuer bring back some key experience as well."

Tony: “Front Court – Leuer will be All Big-Ten, barring injuries, look for a break out year, maybe even honorable mention All-American. After him is depth – Nankavil, Evans, Brueseqwitz, Berggren. Also, Jordan Taylor is sick. He is a much better point guard than Trevon Hughes. He won’t have the scoring spurts like Hughes did at times, but he is a true PG and team leader and one of the few players on the roster that can create his own shot."

Why they won’t do well this year: Tony: “I think Jason Bohannon will be a bigger loss than Hughes. He provided that outside threat that our big men needed. He was a pure shooter and people forget he became a pretty good ball handler during his time in Madison. Taylor and Wilson are very streaky from 3 point land. We need one of these freshmen Brust or Grasser to be a true outside threat."

Wegs: “Bo Ryan’s teams always ‘do well,’ but I don’t see them finishing ahead of Michigan State, Ohio State or Illinois this year. Not because the Badgers aren’t a good team, those teams are just better.”

Player to Watch and Why: Chad: “Jon ‘Fishing’ Leuer. Because I made up that awesome nickname for him last year.”

Tony: “Ryan Evans. Reason 1, will the flat-top still be there? Reason 2, he is one of those guys that can make an average Badger team a very good Badger team. He could be a 12 minute, 3 point a night guy, or his athleticism could pair greatly with Leuer on the offensive and defensive end.”

Winks: “There is a group on Facebook named ‘Hating Keaton Nankivil.’ You know who’s a member of that group? Nankspiece. Love that kid."

How far will they go in the NCAA Tournament?: Tony: “2nd round. Bo Ryan teams excel in the regular season and on normal days of preparation, but never have the athletes to challenge in the Big Dance.”

Chad: “Sweet 16. Because Bo the Badger will coach ‘em up and they’re not good enough to go much further.”

Winks: “They will play well enough for you to have them in the Sweet 16, maybe Elite 8 in your bracket, but they will lose their second game to a lesser opponent. Sounds familiar, so let’s go with it again."

MARQUETTE GOLDEN EAGLES
Where will they finish in the Big East?: Average Response: 6th Place Why they will do well this year: Winks: “This team played in a lot of close games last year. Some they lost, some they won. I’m a firm believer that playing in close games builds a team’s character and resolve, and I think that experience last year makes them a better team this year."

Wegs: “Buzz Williams. He’s done a great job thus far at MU, and I don’t expect 2010-11 to be any different. After what he got out of his team last year with all of the injuries and no real inside threat, he should be able to push this team to the next level.”

Why they won’t do well this year: Chad: “Because the names on their roster look like they were generated in NCAA 2k11.”

Wegs: “If Jimmy Butler can’t fill the void of Lazar Hayward, it could be a long season for the Eagles.”

Player to Watch and why: Winks: “Vander Blue. In the world of music, there are certain songs that seem to ‘take over the world’ at the height of their popularity. They are always on the radio, always used in TV shows, and you hear them everywhere you go. ‘Hey Ya’ by Outkast is a good example, as was ‘Crazy’ by Gnarls Barkley. Well, Vander Blue took over the world that was Wisconsin sports blogs when he was being recruited, so it sounds like this guy is going to be important or something.”

Chad: “Vander Blue. Because that’s an awesome name.”

Wegs: “Darius Johnson-Odom. Last year he showed that he can knock down the outside shot as well as anyone in the Big East. If the Eagles are to be successful this year, he will need to remain consistent from outside as well as step up his ‘slashing’ ability to create opportunities for himself and for his teammates.”

How far will they go in the NCAA Tournament: Winks: “Sweet 16. In the years that MU does get to the tournament, they seem to always pull off a decent run.”

Wegs: “2nd Round (Maybe with the right match-up Sweet 16). Depth at the guard position will be a key for the Eagles this year, and come tournament time guard play tends to win games. They may not be as talented as their opponents, but a solid rotation of guards, will help them stay fresh and in games.”

MILWAUKEE PANTHERSWhere will they finish in the Horizon League?: Average response: 3rd place. Why they will do well this season: Winks: “In basketball it’s all about strategy. And the Panthers main strategy will be to score more points than their opponents. If they can do that more than half of the time, their season will be looked at as a success.”

Wegs: “In a word, depth. When the team traveled to Italy this summer, and in their first few games of this young season, the Panthers have gone 10-11 players deep on a consistent basis. Being as deep as they are, Milwaukee should be able to weather the storms that every team faces during a season.”

Why they won’t do well this season: Wegs: “Coach Jeter will need to prove something to me this season. So far during his tenure at Milwaukee, he has struggled in pushing the right personnel buttons at the right time. The team’s depth will certainly be a strength, but if Coach Jeter can’t figure out how to rotate that talent at the right times, the Panthers are doomed.”

Chad: “Because the karma form the Bruce Pearl era is going to be a motherfu…”

Winks: “The Panthers are going to be a bit malnourished during the early part of the season, as their pregame and postgame meal spreads mysteriously keep disappearing. In a related story, 340-pound James Eayrs is revealed to have never left campus after his senior season and is found living out of the Panthers locker room.

Player to Watch: Chad: “Tony Meier. Because I went to school with a kid named Tony Meyer, and he was a total douche canoe.”

Wegs: “Kaylon Williams. He will be relied on to be the ‘straw that stirs the drink’ offensively. He has the ability to score on his own, but if he can distribute the ball and keep the offense rolling, the Panthers should be able to score points at will this season."

How far will they go in the NCAA Tournament: Chad: “Butler is going to win the Horizon, so I doubt they will get in.”

Winks: “Ha, really?”

Wegs: “I don’t see the Panthers getting by Butler and/or Detroit in the Horizon league tournament this year.

UW-GREEN BAY FIGHTING PHOENIX
Where will they finish in the Horizon League: Avg. Response: 7th place Why they are going to do well this season: Everyone: “They aren’t.” Why they won’t do well this season: Wegs: “Brian Wardle may be their coach, but he is no longer college eligible.”Player to Watch: Winks: “Derek Semenas. Gotta give the fellow Fond du Lac county resident some love. What’s that? He’s redshirted? Damn.”

Chad: “Eric Valentin. Because he made the mistake of leaving Florida to go to college in Green Bay.”

How far will they go in the NCAA Tournament?: Winks: “They will be watching the games from either a Dave & Buster’s or a Buffalo Wild Wings. Haven’t decided yet.”